Coal-picking apparatus.



F. H. EMERY.

COAL 'PICKING APPARATUS."

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11.1915.

1,220,736. Ptented Mar.27,1917.

FREDERICK H. EMERY, or SCRAN'ION, PENNSYLVANIA.

GOAL-PIGKING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 17, 1915.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK I-I. EMERY, citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented oertain new and useful Improvements in Coal- Picking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in coal picking apparatus, and has particular reference to means for lowering the cleaned coal from one conducting chute to the other, in a manner to prevent it being broken.

An important object of the invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character, which are simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure l is a perspective of apparatus embodying my invention, and,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective of one of the spiral lowering chutes. I

As a means of clearly illustrating the in vention, without entering into an unnecessarily detailed description of the separating means of coal picking apparatus, I have shown the same applied to apparatus illustrated in my Patent No. 1,119,586, while it is to be understood that the invention is in no sense restricted for use in connection with this apparatus alone.

In said patent, and in the drawings, of this application, the numerals 3, 4, 5 and 6 designate main troughs or chutes, arranged in stepped relation. In each of these main troughs or chutes there is arranged the mechanism which cleans the coal, and which will not be shown in this application. In the patent and in the drawings of this application the numeral 65 designates conducting chutes, receiving the cleaned coal from the main troughs or chutes. These conducting chutes discharge, one into the other.

In the operation of apparatus embodying the invention shown in the patent, it was found that the cleaned coal discharging or falling from one conducting chute into the other, was broken. To overcome this dis Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 8,778.

advantage I have provided the means embodying the present invention.

Each conducting chute preferably tapers toward its lower end, the same being inclined, and at the lower discharge end thereof I arrange pairs of tortuous, preferably spiral, lowering conveyers 66. These spiral conveyers are preferably stamped and bent from. a single section of sheet metal and are provided with an attaching frame or portion 67 connected with the outlet end of the conducting chute by bolts 68. The spiral conveyers 66 embody a forward upstanding partition portion 69, preferably covered by at protecting cap or section 70, of sheet metal orithe like. The spiral conveyor in each pair has its bottom wall preferably curved in cross-section and its outlet end 71 is preferably fiattened and arranged transversely of the next lower conducting chute 65 adjacent the same or in engagement therewith.

As shown in connection with the uppermost main trough or chute 3, a transverse rod 72 is secured to the lower end thereof, and carri'es a coal retarding apron 73, embodying a plurality of depending members or fingers 74:, freely pivoted upon the rod. The same construction is preferably used in connection with each of the main troughs or chutes.

In operation, the coal from the upper main trough or chute passes into the conducting chute carried thereby, and discharges into the pair of lowering spiral conveyers. These spiral conveyers gradually lower the coal into the adjacent conducting chute, retarding its movement and discharging the same therein without any danger of breakage.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Patented Mar. 27, 1'91 '7.

I -Iaving thus described the invention, I

take end arranged adjacent the outlet end of the upper conducting chute and its lower end adjacent the bottom of the lower conducting chute.

the outlet end of the upper conducting chute and their .lowerends arranged adjacent the bottom of the lower conducting chute and extending inwardly toward each other.

3. The combination with a plurality of conducting chutes of coal picking apparatus arranged to discharge one into the other, of a pair of spiral lowering conveyers attached to the outlet end of the upper conducting chute and provided at their tops with'a partition and having their lower ends arranged adjacent the bottom of the lower conducting chute and disposed transversely of said lower conducting chute and extending inwardly toward each other.

4:. In coal picking apparatus, a lower inclined conducting chute, an upper inclined conducting chute having its discharge end arranged above and spaced a substantial distance from the intake end of the lower chute, and a lowering chute having its intake end arranged adjacent the discharge end of the upper chute and its discharge end arranged above and adjacent the lower chute, said lowering chute being of tortuous upon the lower conducting chute without breaking it.

5. A coal picking apparatus, comprising an inclined chute, and a lowering chute having its intake end opposed to the discharge end of the first-named chute; said lowering chute being of tortuous form, whereby it is adapted to retard the travel of the coal en route to its discharge end.

6. A lowering chute for use in a coal picking apparatus, comprising an upright partition, and tortuous conveyer portions reaching in opposite directions from said partition; the said lowering chute being constructed and arranged for interposition between the discharge end of a chute in said apparatus and a surface lower than said end.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK H. EMERY.

Witnesses THOS. R. HUGHES, BERTHA M. DUNINGER.

Copiesjof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I'atents, Washington, D. O. 

